NHL announces their Quarter-Century Team and Capitals fans are feeling proud
Photo credit: Sportsnet
The NHL Quarter-Century Team kicked off its unveiling Thursday with the first six selections, players who debuted prior to 2000 and were voted in based on their impact over the last 25 years.
These foundational picks recognize the league's most influential veterans from the late 1990s and earlier who helped shape the modern game.
The NHL announced the six players named to their Quarter-Century Team.
According to Adam Kimelman of NHL.com, here's a breakdown of the six players on the NHL Quarter-Century Team who debuted before 2000. Listed alphabetically, each is shown with the team they first made the First Team with, and their statistics are counted from January 1, 2000 onward.
Chosen 56th overall by the New York Islanders in the third round of the 1996 NHL Draft, Zdeno Chara was in his third NHL season when the year 2000 began.
Regular-season stats: 205 goals, 458 assists, 663 points, 1,561 games
Postseason stats: 18 goals, 52 assists, 70 points, 200 games
Awards: Won the Norris Trophy in 2008-09, and in 2010-11 won the Mark Messier Award, the same season he helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup.
Jarome Iginla was drafted 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in the first round of the 1995 NHL Draft but never suited up for them, as he was traded to the Calgary Flames on December 19, 1995. By the start of 2000, he was in his fourth season with Calgary. That year, he recorded his second of 13 straight 20-goal seasons, 11 of which featured 30 or more goals. In 2004, he led the Flames to the Stanley Cup Final, topping all players with 13 playoff goals, including a short-handed game-winner in Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Regular-season stats: 556 goals, 592 assists, 1,148 points, 1,285 games
Postseason stats: 36 goals, 30 assists, 66 points, 79 games.
In the 2001-02 season, Iginla topped the NHL with 52 goals and 96 points, earning both the Rocket Richard and Art Ross Trophies, and was also honored with the Ted Lindsay Award, as voted by his peers.
"The forward also won the Richard Trophy in 2003-04, when he tied Ilya Kovalchuk and Rick Nash for the League lead with 41 goals and also helped the Calgary Flames reach the Stanley Cup Final." -Kimelman
Drafted 53rd overall by the Red Wings in the third round of the 1989 NHL Draft, Nicklas Lidstrom had already won two Stanley Cups (1997, 1998) and was 29 years old, in his ninth NHL season, when the year 2000 began.
Regular-season stats: 155 goals, 536 assists, 691 points, 914 games
Postseason stats: 30 goals, 76 assists, 106 points, 149 games
"Lidstrom won the Norris Trophy as the League's best defenseman seven times (2001, '02, '03, '06, '07, '08, 2011), tied with Doug Harvey for the second-most in NHL history, one behind Bobby Orr. In 2002, he helped the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup and was voted the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP. He also helped the Red Wings win the Cup again in 2008, this time as captain, for his fourth championship." -Kimelman
Joe Sakic, selected 15th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1987 NHL Draft, was 30 years old and in his 12th NHL season when the year 2000 began, yet continued to be a vital player for the Avalanche well into his 30's.
Regular-season stats: 244 goals, 395 assists, 639 points, 567 games
Postseason stats: 43 goals, 51 assists, 94 points, 96 games
Sakic earned the Hart and Ted Lindsay Awards in 2000-01 after ranking second in the NHL with 54 goals and 118 points, while also leading the League with a plus-45 rating in 82 games.
Selected 10th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1988 NHL Draft, Teemu Selanne won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year in 1992-93 and the Rocket Richard Trophy in 1998-99. By January 1, 2000, he was in his ninth NHL season.
Regular-season stats: 356 goals, 424 assists, 780 points, 930 games
Postseason stats: 31 goals, 37 assists, 68 points, 109 games
"Selanne recovered from a career-threatening knee injury with 90 points (40 goals, 50 assists) in 80 games with the Ducks in 2005-06 and was voted the winner of the Bill Masterton Trophy for perseverance and commitment to hockey." -Kimelman
Chosen first overall in the 1997 NHL Draft, Joe Thornton was in his third season with the Bruins when the year 2000 began.
Regular-season stats: 402 goals, 1,057 assists, 1,459 points, 1,541 games
Postseason stats: 29 goals, 96 assists, 125 points, 170 games
"In 2005-06, Thornton became the only NHL player ever to win the Hart Trophy as most valuable player and the Art Ross Trophy as the League's points leader during a season he also was traded." -Kimelman
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